court gets softer on salman khan's blackbuck poaching & Arms Act cases

It looks like time is completely in the favour of Salman khan. The Super Star is accused of killing two blackbucks in Kankani village on the intervening night of October 1 and 2, 1998 and for allegedly possessing arms with an expired licence.

The case is looking to be in the favour of Salman as his counsel said that, while the examination of the 28 witnesses is over in the Kankani case, re-examination of a prosecution witness, then district magistrate Rajat Kumar Mishra, is scheduled on August 3.

Subsequently, Salman's lawyer also using the the contradictions between the video recording of the statements given by then forest officer Lalit Bora and his written statements. The defence moved a fresh application for re-examination of the same prosecution witnesses, citing changed circumstances due to the prosecution's application.

A single bench of Rajasthan High Court on Monday acquitted Salman Khan in two cases related to poaching of chinkaras in Bhawad and Mathania here in 1998, saying that the air gun recovered from the Salman's room at Ummed Palace cannot kill a big animal. Such guns can kill small animals like rabbit or bird, the court observed.

Justice Kaur observed that even the prosecution has admitted that they were not able to establish the weapon used for the alleged hunting, leading to the acquittal of Salman under Section 27 of the Arms Act. Khan, 50, was jailed in 2007 for nearly a week for shooting an endangered gazelle in 1998.

But wildlife activist Rupesh Kant Vyas said, "If the government doesn't appeal against the acquittal, it would mean it is hand-in-glove with the superstar and made the case against him weak intentionally."